Henry Gray, Jr. was born in Laurens District SC Jan 19, 1816. He graduated form SouthCarolina College in 1834. He was admitted to the bar in 1838. He then settled in Winston Co Miss. He served as District Attorney from 1839 to1845. In 1841 he married Eleanora Ann Howard. In 1846 Henry Gray was elected to the State Legislature and served one term. In 1850 he ran unsuccessfully for Congress on the Whig ticket. In December of 1850 he bought 332 acres of land in Bienville Parish Louisiana in the community of Brushy Valley. In the campaign of 1856 he was an elector for the Democratic ticket and canvassed the state with his friend Judah P Benjamin. He was elected to the State Legislature in 1860 and later that year lost a close race for Senator to his friend Benjamin. At the beginning of the war he enlisted as a private in a Mississippi regiment, until his friend Jefferson Davis called him to go back to Louisiana to raise a regiment. In May of 1862 he organized the 28th La Inf Regiment and was elected it's Colonel. Gray's 28th saw action around Vicksburg and various battles within Louisiana. Their greatest moment of glory came in April of 1864. At the Battle of Mansfield the 28th and the Consolidated Cresent Regiment were picked by Gen Richard Taylor to lead the Charge against Banks and his marauding yankees. During the charge Gen Mouton was mortally wounded and Gray assumed command of his division. His promotion to Brigadier General was made later but made active back to that day. In the meantime he had been elected to represent NW Louisiana in the Confederate Congress. After the war he spent most of the rest of his life trying to re-establish his finances and served some time as a State Senator. He died December 11, 1892 and is buried in Springville Cemetery near Coushatta Louisiana.

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